Keeping Austin Weird: 5 of the Best Food Trucks in the City

The city of Austin, Texas is known for having a unique and slightly unusual culture, and part of that charm extends to the local dining scene. While it is certainly possible to enjoy fine dining in a traditional formal restaurant in Austin, the newest trend is that of food trucks. These trucks might be mobile, but they may also be permanently parked in specific designated locations throughout the region. These trucks allow aspiring chefs to open up their own restaurant, serving up their favorite dishes. Diners can enjoy everything from casual traditional burgers and fries to outrageous creations like tequila cotton candy. Since there were 1095 food truck permits issued by the city of Austin as of last year, you can always find something tasty. Read on for the top food trucks in the city of Austin.

1. The Peached Tortilla

Austin is a city of blended cultures, so it should come as no surprised that one of the top food trucks in the city offers fusion cuisine. The Peached Tortillas blends Asian and Southern foods perfectly, specifically with their Banh Mi sliders. These sliders feature braised pork belly and Vietnamese spices on a slightly sweet Hawaiian bread roll. The result is one of the most popular dishes in all of Austin.

2. The Vegan Yacht

Diners with dietary restrictions often feel like they have to avoid the limited menus of food trucks, but that isn’t the case at the Vegan Yacht. The menu boasts vegan, vegetarian and even gluten-free dishes. Try the T.T.L.T., a vegan variation on the classic B.L.T. found in most sandwich restaurants.

3. Gourdoughs

This recognizable food truck in Austin is actually a silver airstream that serves up some of the largest and most delicious donuts in Texas. Skip past the simple glazed choices and opt for one of the famed specialties that Gourdoughs is known for. The Funky Monkey is covered with grilled bananas and brown sugar and the Mother Clucker gets topped with honey and a piece of perfectly fried chicken.

4.Moses Falafel

If you are keeping kosher, or even if you just want to enjoy some incredible falafel, head to this amazing food truck located on Rio Grande Street right next to the University of Texas campus. Despite the long lines, it is worth a trip to Moses Falafel if you enjoy Israeli cuisine.

5. Cloud 9 Cotton Candy

Once only thought of as a treat at the fair or a carnival, it is now standard to see citizens of Austin walking around with cones of cotton candy. In most cases, they will have picked up that cotton candy from Cloud 9 Cotton Candy, a food truck in Austin that serves up the sweet confection in flavors like pina colada or watermelon.

The diversity and ease of city permits is a big reason for the number of food trucks in the city of Austin. According to food expert Andrew Zimmern, however, it is also due to “the audience in Austin really being willing to be experimented at.” Whatever your tastes, you can find something you will love at the many foods trucks in this Texan city.